Archive: August 20, 2015

PRANA YOGA CENTER INTRODUCES FREE YOGA CLASS FOR BREAST CANCER CARE

The Prana Yoga Center in Geneva announces the start of a new, free class, Empowerment Yoga for Breast Cancer Care. Classes will be held Tuesdays, 5:45-7pm, September 1 to December 15 at the Prana Yoga Center, 321 Stevens Street, Suite C in Geneva.

Women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, whether in treatment or out of treatment, are invited to register for this free class. Classes will include gentle movement, yoga poses specifically modified for breast cancer issues, breath work, meditation and some class discussion.

Marianne Cirone, MS, MFA, E-RYT, Cancer Exercise Specialist, and Lesley Ronson Brown, MBA, RYT-500 and breast cancer warrior and educator, will be the instructors for this class. Marianne Cirone educates students and yoga teachers on safe modifications after cancer treatment. Cirone served as the Wellness Coordinator of the LivingWell Cancer Resource Center from 2007-2015 and has taught yoga for people affected by cancer for the past eleven years. Lesley Ronson Brown is a wellness professional who specializes in breast cancer-focused yoga and lymphedema education.

“Several significant studies published in major medical journals in the last two years have really validated the benefits of yoga for people who have been diagnosed with cancer,” Cirone said. “Specifically, research shows that yoga can support women diagnosed with breast cancer by increasing range of motion, reducing anxiety and improving mood, supporting the immune system, and enhancing overall well-being.”

Classes are free of charge, and on a drop-in basis, but students are encouraged to attend as many sessions as possible for the greatest benefit. Students will be required to be able to get up and down from the floor, and will need to submit a confidential health history form and medical release form, which they can pick up at the first class attended. Students should plan to arrive 20 minutes early to their first class to fill out the paperwork. For questions or more information, please call Lisa Bertke at 630-639-9985 or go to www.pranayogacenter.com.

These classes will be sponsored by the Prana Yoga Center. Lisa Bertke, yoga instructor and therapist, E-RYT-500, owner of the Prana Yoga Center, originally founded Yoga by Design for Breast Cancer Survivors at Delnor Hospital in 2003. The Prana Yoga Gives Back program supports a variety of local and national service organizations, including Anderson Animal Shelter, the Lazarus House and the LivingWell Cancer Resource Center.